"Today, many factories in the industrial zone have gradually ceased operations, and most workers have returned home for meals. The porridge sold slowly, which is why I came back late," Tang Guo explained while putting on her padded jacket.
Tang Li raised an eyebrow upon hearing this, understanding that the Jiangcheng authorities were likely making preparations after receiving news of the solar storm's outbreak. Although the geomagnetic storm caused by the solar storm would generate induced currents in electrical equipment, burning out circuits even when machines were not running, stopping work was still safer. Furthermore, since the authorities had implemented such measures, they should also be prepared to repair these machines after the solar storm.
However, the authorities likely didn't know that this solar storm would not be a one-off event. Over the next 14 months, solar storms of varying intensity would occur continuously. Not only would they continue to damage electrical equipment, but they would also bring large amounts of previously undiscovered new sources of ionizing radiation to Earth—delta particles.
"Don't just think about earning points. The solar storm is coming, and safety comes first. What's the use of earning so many points if you lose your life?" Tang Li said helplessly.
Tang Guo chuckled, "It's okay, I've calculated the timing. I want to quickly earn back your investment." Since the porridge was all replicated from Tang Li's space, it had virtually no cost. However, purchasing and modifying the small truck cost 1000 points, and the integrated electric thermal suit Tang Guo was wearing also required 500 points.
Moreover, Tang Guo did not know about Tang Li's ability to replicate from space. She only knew about the future scarcity of food. While selling porridge, she was also collecting various rationed ingredients from the workers to have Tang Li store in her space. Therefore, over these four days, the profit was only two to three hundred points per day. Even so, the points spent on purchasing and modifying the small truck had already been recouped. As for the ingredients stored in the space, the spatial energy they contained had already surpassed the food Tang Li had replicated.
"Alright, hurry up and go to the bathroom to take a shower. I've already adjusted the temperature. Once the power goes out, it won't be easy to take a comfortable hot shower in this extreme cold season," Tang Li urged.
Upon hearing this, Tang Guo quickly grabbed her clothes and went to shower. Although Jiangcheng had a nuclear power plant, electricity was not cheap. Finishing her shower early and turning off the heating devices in the bathroom would save on electricity costs. Also, it was indeed as Tang Li had said; the power would be out soon.
Tang Li then went downstairs to the modified small truck. She replicated eight small brown boxes from her space and attached them to the eight corners of the truck, enclosing it. Tang Li's own SUV had also been enclosed this way long ago.
"I heard this electromagnetic pulse shielding device can block the effects of geomagnetic storms. I wonder if it will work." The eight small brown boxes Tang Li had just replicated were electromagnetic pulse shielding devices she had heard of in her previous life. They utilized a new technology capable of blocking interference from geomagnetic storms and electromagnetic pulse weapons. However, they had to be used in combination, with at least three shielding devices forming a surface, and no conductors passing through that surface for them to be effective.
It was said that in her previous life, the authorities managed to preserve many electrical appliances during the geomagnetic storm and even build underground cities by employing the new technology carried within these electromagnetic pulse shielding devices. However, these shielding devices were very power-hungry and required timely battery replacement. Otherwise, if even one device ran out of power, the overall shielding effect would be greatly reduced. Therefore, Tang Li had only used the lowest power version and had not taken out larger-power ones. Even so, without the replication function of her space, Tang Li would not have been able to afford the electricity consumption of these small devices.
After placing the electromagnetic pulse shielding devices, Tang Li already felt the lights in the stairwell flickering. "Is the power going out this soon?" In her previous life, in City A, power had never been restored, and no one discussed such matters in the apocalypse, so Tang Li did not know the exact time of the power outage. Seeing the lights flickering, she quickly hurried upstairs and returned to her room.
At this moment, the television signal had already been lost. The lights in the room, even those that were not switched on, lit up! Tang Li quickly replicated the candles she had prepared from her space, placed them in various corners of the room, and lit them one by one.
Just then, all the electric lights suddenly brightened, and then with a bang, they all went out…